CIPA Compliance

DeepNines Education

CIPA compliance and its requirement to control online content accessed by students can be a huge struggle with today's environment of Web 2.0 content and applications. Online content and applications have evolved dramatically in recent years, and traditional URL filtering technologies have not been able to keep up. The rampant use of Web proxies, peer-to-peer applications, online gaming and other unwanted content is putting students at risk and consuming critical network bandwidth, while preventing access to legitimate educational resources and good online content. Traditional URL filtering only inspects port 80 (i.e. Web) traffic, allowing students to easily circumvent the solution and access what should be restricted online content and applications using the 200+ ports and the variety of protocols that aren’t inspected.

DeepNines provides true CIPA compliance by ensuring that acceptable use policies (AUPs) are enforced and preventing students from accessing any unacceptable content and applications. DeepNines performs a comprehensive inspection on all network traffic over every single port and protocol, using patented technology to take action on that traffic and enforce policy for all online content and applications. DeepNines Secure Web Gateway takes a proactive approach to Web security and content filtering to ensure that students remain safe while optimizing the online learning experiences and as a part of our continued effort to improve security and usability for educators and students alike, DeepNines Hallpass provides the capability to enforce AUPs while enabling time-based, authorized access.

Key Benefits:

• Eliminates students’ ability to circumvent traditional URL filters and firewalls with Web proxies and other techniques
• Controls access to any type of online content or application including social networking, peer-to-peer, instant messaging and online gaming
• Enhances the use of education-related applications and content including online testing, streaming video, podcasts and audiobooks
• Provides true policy and CIPA compliance by ensuring that students cannot access any unacceptable or illegal content during school hours, and that district acceptable use policies (AUPs) are enforced
• Inspects every packet, port and protocol to ensure total content and access control
• Provides insight into network activity through complete, real-time visibility including who is on the network and what is being accessed
• Provides granular control over what students, teachers and administrators can and cannot access online

DeepNines Hallpass

The intent of traditional password override features in content/URL filters is to allow access to specific websites that have educational value but are restricted by category in the URL filtering database. However, password overrides are a huge security risk since they can easily fall into the hands of students and other unauthorized users who can then access the entire Web unrestricted with the simple use of a password.

DeepNines created a tool called Hallpass as a secure alternative to traditional password override. This user-friendly interface allows teachers to record and submit browsing sessions to administrators, thus creating a Hallpass. Once a Hallpass is approved, it is pushed out to specific students for a finite amount of time to give those students temporary access to otherwise blocked URLs. Hallpass also eliminates the time-consuming process of adding individual websites to a white-list for administrators. In addition, full reporting is available for each Hallpass so administrators can keep track of the Hallpass users and the URLs that are visited. Combined with DeepNines Content Filter, Hallpass provides a powerful and flexible tool for paired security and usability.